Second Chances
by AlisonStewart
Summary: Guy is visited by a stranger who gives him a second chance after killing Marian.
1. Chapter 1

# Fix #  
I'm sorry. I regret everything. Forgive me. I'm sorry. Undo the horrible things I have done. Please. Its all my fault. I'm sorry.

The tears wouldn't come, he couldn't rage and scream. There was only the shock... The cold shivers that wouldn't go away. And the voice that was never silenced.

He had killed her. She loved Robin Hood, and he had killed her. She had saved lives and made him feel something again, and he had killed her.

Why?

He sat with his head in his hands in the cold. He had ran away from it all, ran away from the sheriff and his poisonous words, ran away from the reality of what he had done.

Once he was alone in the woods in the middle of nowhere, with only his poor horse for company, he realised how stupid he was. He could never run from himself.

I'm so sorry.

The fog had become so thick he couldn't see his own hands, and the cold was biting. The horse was sitting with her back to him, curled up to keep warm. Slowly he got to his feet, he was unsteady after being still for so long. He unconsciously felt around until he found his saddlebag and pulled out the woolen blanket that was at least partially dry, after draping it over her back he collapsed onto the hard ground again. At least then she could have some sort of warmth, meagre as it was.

After a long time he became aware of another presence.

He couldn't see, but after a moment the voice spoke out of nowhere. It was cold and smooth, the sound carried even though it was almost a whisper.

"You got what you deserve. Nobody else can take the blame except you. You killed her." The disembodied voice went quiet all of a sudden, and Guy wondered if he had finally lost his mind.  
Then all of a sudden he could see again, the white damp blanket of fog seemed to thin, though he felt no breeze.

There standing watching him was a tall thin man with a pale face and cold dark eyes. He didn't move, he just stared. He looked ghostly.

"I'm going to give you one chance. One chance to change things. It isn't my responsibility if your life changes completely, to your liking or not."

"What?" Guy croaked, it seemed like years since he had spoken last. "Am I dead?" Was this man the devil himself?

The stranger laughed, it didn't make him seem any more human. "I believe not. You're only dreaming."

Dreaming? Had he fallen asleep under the tree without realising it. Wasnt he exhausted?

"No. A bit before that I think. You've been asleep for a while now."

"How...? How did you know what I was thinking?" He didn't feel frightened, nothing could scare him when there was a hole where his heart should be.

The pale man cocked his head to the side, studying him. "I told you. This is a dream. Anything is possible. When you killed the woman, it wasn't real. But it could be very easily, unless you change it. When you wake up, you will have to try very hard to remember this dream, naturally you will want to forget..." The man stepped down from where he was standing, the horse knickered loudly and stood up, her ears flat and her eyes bulging. The stranger made a small clicking sound and the frightened horse relaxed and settled down again. She seemed to be oblivious that he was even there. The cold eyes were all of a sudden back on Guy. "That's what I'm here for."

Guy climbed to his feet, not taking his eyes off the stranger. "Who are you?"

"You can call me Fox. " The man bared his teeth in a smile. "But that's not really what you meant is it?"

Guy ignored the look he was getting, and attempted to wrap his head around the strangeness of it all."If I really am dreaming, and Marian isn't really dead... Then I could stop it from happening... Am I correct?" He didn't dare let himself believe it was possible. Not when it hurt so bad the first time she died.

"Yes... That's one way to put it. But you can't just go rushing off and completely change the fate of everyone you know, and others. You have to be discreet, don't make it obvious that you've had this dream. "

"Why?"

"lets just say..." He was no longer smiling. "That those above me wouldn't be terribly pleased if they found out that I've given you a second chance." There was a silence for some time, and then Fox raised an eyebrow expectantly at him. "Well, what are you waiting for man, aren't you going to wake up?"

"You can't expect me to wake with you staring at me like that!"

Fox scowled, for the first time since Guy had first seen him he looked human. "I know when I'm no longer wanted around. Though it would be nice if I was graced with a 'please' or 'thank you'. After all, I'm helping you save the girl which you somehow, god knows why, happened to get your sword stuck in." He pulled his hood over his face turned away.

He had the strangest feeling of falling from the sky, like he was sinking in the sea and desperately needed a breath of air. "Wait! Why are you helping me?"

Fox didn't look back at him, but when he answered there seemed to be thousands of voices echoing the words through the forest, and in Guy's head.

"I'm giving you the chance I didn't get."

He woke to hot sunshine streaming through his window. 


	2. Chapter 2

The first thing he did that morning was go to see his horse. She nickered when she saw him approaching. There was the smell of straw and manure in the air. There was also the familiar scent of horse, it had a calming effect on him since he was a boy. There had been many times when he was consumed by rage and had wanted to murder someone. Namely the sheriff.

And there were other times when it wasn't rage that shook him.

Marian.

She made him feel so alive with a single look. Even though he would never admit this even to himself, there was something about her that made him want to change. He could never do that... The life he had now was the only thing keeping him alive and sane.

The memory of the strange dream was fading fast. It was a ridiculous nightmare. He would never harm Marian.

"Sir...? The stable boys voice only shook a little. He was getting better at hiding his fear. Smart boy must have realised that cowering would only fuel the fire.

"Should I prepare your horse for a ride? She needs the exercise I think..."

"Get her ready... Yes." He shook his head as his thoughts swam. "I expect that done in ten minutes for me. I will be back."

"Yes sir."

As he exited the stables and stepped into the hot sunlight something happened.

He couldn't breathe.

It didn't feel like someone was choking him. It was more like he had forgotten how to draw breath. And then when he tried to continue walking his legs seemed unable to hold his weight anymore and gave way.

The ground was so soft. He could just close his eyes and sleep. It would be so easy. There would be no more of the pain.

He let them shut and the darkness came creeping in... So welcoming.

_"...Wake up! You are dying!"_

It was so painful. The voice was so loud. It triggered his instinct and forced his eyes open.

A second later there was a cold blast of cold water. He gasped and choked.

All he could see was white, and then slowly something enormous and blue appeared. It took him a moment to realise what he was looking at was the sky.

"Sir... Are you alright? I think you fainted." It was the stable boy, he was holding one of the horses drinking buckets. His freckles stood out on his face, which seemed drained of colour.

Guy was lying on his back in the yard outside the stables. A small crowd had gathered at a safe distance from him, the men and women had paused their working to watch. He could swear that they looked disappointed that he was still alive.

The boy was the only one who had attempted at helping.

"I'm fine." He was surprised at how normal the tone of voice came out. He sounded bored and impatient. He sat up and got to his feet. The boy tried to help him, but he shrugged the helping hand away in feigned annoyance. His leather was dripping grimy water onto the ground.

Slowly the crowd dispersed and melded back into the shadows. Where they belonged.

"Sir do you still want to go riding? Perhaps it would be better not to right now..." The boy was worried about him? He could almost laugh at the ridicule of it.  
"Its not your choice, boy." He snapped. "Go fetch her now. And be quick about it."

"Yes sir. " The boy turned to go and then stopped mid stride. "Sir you dropped something..."

Guy followed the boys eye and saw the green stone lying in the muddy water. He bent over and picked it up. It was small enough that he could close his fist around it. It lay in the palm of his black gloved hand and he struggled to think if he had collected anything like that recently. If he was correct then he hadn't seen it before.

"Go!" he barked when the stable boy lingered.

He headed to behind the house where he inspected it more closely. There was a long gold chain which the stone dangled from. He removed his glove and held it in his fist. It was hot.

"What were you thinking? Giving up... Really I thought you had more brains than this."

He knew that voice. Like a vague memory. Somewhere in the back of his mind.

He turned around and saw Fox leaning elegantly against the wall. He was wearing a long black coat with a hood which partially covered his face. "I told you there were others who would try and stop me from helping you. Awfully nice of you to just hand over your life so easily. Makes things so much more interesting." There was a hint of sarcasm in his tone.

"Who are you? What do you want?" His voice shook. He was going insane. After all these years he knew it would happen, finally he was going insane.

"To help you. We have already had this conversation... Forgotten already?"

Guy growled and stepped forwards, he had a knife at the man in a flash.

Fox raised an eyebrow at Guy. The knife was pressed against his neck hard enough that it drew blood.

Guy growled under his voice. "Forgotten it? That was nothing but a dream. Strange, but a dream nevertheless. You bleed like any man and I swear I will kill you right here and right now if you don't give me some answers."

Fox laughed. It was a clear musical sound. He didn't seem to notice when guy applied more pressure on the knife.

"Really, a dream? Then do you explain my existence right now..."

Anyway that stone I left you will protect you from the others. They won't be able to control you or kill you by getting to your mind. I thought you might need it seeing as you handled that encounter earlier so well. It'll work on anyone, even a thickskull like you."

"What?" Guy spat in confusion.

"I won't repeat it. Now get out of my sight. I hope I don't have to remind you not to kill the lady again."

"Marian?..."

"No I was talking about that mangy dog over there." Fox snapped. His eyes weren't that cool calm they usually were. He seemed genuinely annoyed. "Now get the damn well off me!"

There was a rush of air Guy felt himself slam against the wall behind him painfully. When he looked up Fox was nowhere in sight.

He went straight to Marian.

"I can't accept any more gifts Guy..." Her beautiful eyes were wide, her perfect lips parted. "Please I want you to stop this."

"I insist." They were standing outside her door. She was holding it in her hand.

"But Guy..."

"If you take it I won't ever bring more gifts unless you ask for them. The same goes for my attention towards you. I will stop altogether if you take it."

Marian blushed. That was unusual for her, if this had happened before today it would trigger a series of emotions each more confusing than the last.  
She held the green stone up to the light, a small frown between her brows. "Is that mud?... Where did you get this?"

Guy turned his back on her. "It was a gift."

And then he walked away, his heart pounding in his ears.


End file.
